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Sunday, October 2, 2022

Stuart Smith: Students Must Be Fully Informed


Last Friday saw Parliament’s grounds filled with Global Climate Strike protesters led by Izzy Cook, a year 12 student. The protesters came armed with six “demands”:

* Ban synthetic fertilisers
* Halve the number of cows
* Free public transport
* Safe cycle and walkways
* End all coal, oil and gas exploration
* Just transition.

Fair enough. And putting aside that the students took time off school to attend and didn’t sacrifice their free time for the cause, we still should give them credit for fighting for a cause they believe in.

However, it was the furore that followed, when Izzy was interviewed by Heather du Plessis-Allan (HDPA) on her Newstalk ZB Drive show, that really grabbed the headlines. When HDPA asked Izzy if it was okay to fly to Fiji, Izzy said, given the climate crisis, she didn’t think it was a good idea. Then admitted that she had done just that a couple of months ago with her parents. This prompted a burst of surprised laughter from HDPA and upset Izzy’s mum. Her mum was joined by a Green MP and a bevy of hand-wringing journalists, who rounded on HDPA.

HDPA was doing her job. Yes, she laughed, who wouldn’t? Clearly those behind Izzy thought the media would not ask difficult questions of a year-12 student. And to be fair to HDPA, it wasn’t a difficult question, and she was clearly surprised at the answer.

As a parent, I feel for Izzy, and I feel those who put her in the position of leading the protest, without a clear understanding of what she was getting into, are responsible. That she didn’t register the hypocrisy in her leading a protest which called for actions that would ultimately ruin businesses, lower incomes and inconvenience millions worldwide, while she did the opposite, is disappointing. It does not reflect well on those who were supposed to be supporting her.

There is no doubt that schools are promoting climate change awareness with students and, if Izzy’s experience is anything to go by, it is evident that students are unfortunately not informed about what climate action really means.

For instance, Sri Lanka’s decision to ban outright the use of synthetic fertilisers has led to an extreme economic crisis and the overthrow of their government.

Ending coal, oil and gas exploration hasn’t worked out well for the Europeans either, with those very bans being reversed due to their growing energy crisis. A crisis that will lead to many deaths this Northern Hemisphere winter.

But the ‘just transition’ beats them all, as this covers a grab bag of leftist policies that have nothing to do with climate: they are all about income redistribution.

Hopefully, this experience hasn’t affected Izzy too much; after all, she had the courage to stand up for what she believes.

Stuart Smith is a N Z National Party politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives for the Kaikōura electorate since 2014. This article was first published HERE

5 comments:

K said...

Did they all walk there?

DeeM said...

That's what happens when you ask the Greens how to run a country - they, and their mostly middle-class supporters with their nice houses, cars .... and holidays to Fiji, come up with a nonsense list that is not realistic, often has no basis in fact and would not only cripple the economy but would ruin their own very comfy lifestyles in the process.

They are hypocrites and dreamers who, like their woke celebrity left-wing idols, don't understand how the real world works.
They naturally encourage the same flawed behaviour in their kids. And if anyone has the temerity to ask them a reasonable question which makes them look stupid (which is really easy) they get affronted and start name-calling. And if it's a teenage girl then it's 10x worse!

Ray S said...

Unfortunately for the younger generations, (6 years and up) they have been told so many times that the sky is falling have taken it all on board and are mostly terrified of the future and what it will mean for them.

I have witnessed it among my younger family members when discussing climate and similar events, ie, covid, mandates, etc. The fear is quite palpable, sadly changing their view point will only happen when the events concerning them turn out to be a scam.
Assuming of course they get the chance to see the future and not stopped in their track by the likes of the Greens or perhaps someone like Putin.

Param said...

to be fair, izzy was at least honest, even if a bit dumb. you can't say that for most of the greens using her has a pawn in this game.

Unknown said...

Is Izzy Cook, being "primed/preened" to become NZ's Greta Thunberg?

Those who were behind Greta, were her Parents' and other Swedish Socialist Zealot's, who saw "an opening in the fence (climate change)" and using the "ever helpful Media" then went out and promoted Greta to the fullest extent. Poor Greta could not handle Media interviews and had to be coached to provide answers. From Listening to HDPA radio interview, someone "failed to educate Izzy" and she "walked straight into questions" that she could not provide an answer for. I wonder when Izzy went to Fiji, was it with her parents? If she did then this trip certainly makes a mockery of her mother and her associated green agenda.